PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate thyroid dysfunction in obese children in Korea. METHOD: We measured body mass index and thyroid hormone in obese, overweight, and normal weight children who visited a pediatric clinic in Jeonju, Korea, from January 2009 to September 2012. RESULTS: The free thyroxoine (FT4) level of the obese group (16.35 +/- 2.79 pmol/L) was lower than levels of the overweight (17.65 +/- 2.31 pmol/L) and normal weight (17.28 +/- 2.35 pmol/L; P=0.012) groups. The average value of FT4 in severely obese children (15.71 +/- 1.68 pmol/L) was lower than those of mildly and moderately obese children (16.40 +/- 2.88 pmol/L). We found no significant difference in thyroid stimulating hormone level between the obese group and normal weight group. CONCLUSION: The FT4 level is lower in obese children than in normal weight children.
Body Mass Index ; Child ; Humans ; Korea ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Thyroid Gland ; Thyroid Hormones ; Thyrotropin

No abstract available.
Appointments and Schedules* ; Hepatitis B Vaccines* ; Hepatitis B virus* ; Hepatitis B* ; Hepatitis* ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn* ; Vaccination*

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence and contributing factors of nonoliguric hyperkalemia in extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW) within 96 hours after birth in very low birth weight infants. METHODS: The incidence of non-oliguric hyperkalemia and difference of clinical feature between hyperkalemic (>or=7.0 mEq/L) and normokalemic (<7.0 mEq/L) groups were determined by reviewing medical records of 35 extremely low birth weight infants admitted in Samsung Medical Center between Jan. 2001 to Dec. 2001. We analyzed the serum levels of sodium, potassium, fluid intake, urine output, blood gas analysis values, and other factors that influenced serum electrolytes. RESULTS: Among 35 ELBW infants, 11 (31%) was hyperkalemia developed and 4 infants (36%) was associated with cardiac arrythmia. The incidence and onset time of hyperkalemia showed inverse correlation with birth weight and gestational age. Perinatal complications and serum levels of sodium, fluid intake, hourly urine output, and other blood gas analysis were no different in both groups. Dopamine administrations, UAC insertion rate, ICH incidence and base deficit were significantly increased in hyperkalemic group. CONCLUSION: Non-oliguric hyperkalemia is a frequent complication of ELBW infant. Serum potassium should be monitored closely to avoid life threatening cardiac arrhythmia in these infants.
Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Birth Weight ; Blood Gas Analysis ; Dopamine ; Electrolytes ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Hyperkalemia* ; Incidence ; Infant* ; Infant, Low Birth Weight* ; Infant, Newborn ; Infant, Very Low Birth Weight ; Medical Records ; Parturition ; Potassium ; Sodium

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical and histopathological features, treatment and prognosis of borderline ovarian tumors (BOT). METHODS: Thirty nine cases of BOT were treated between January 1985 and December 2001 at Maryknoll Hospital. All of BOT were classified in accordance with the WHO criteria for histological typing and clinical staging according to the FIGO system. The clinical records of all patients were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: The incidence of BOT was 21.0% (39/186) of epithelial ovarian malignancies and patients with these tumors tended to present at younger age (36.6 years old) than those with invasive carcinoma (53.6 years old). Fourteen patients (35.9%) were nullipara. The most common chief complaint was palpable mass (28.2%). Serous type (17.9%) occurred less frequently than mucinous type (76.9%). The positive ratio of CA 125 was 45%. Stage I was 37 cases (94.8%), stage II, 1 case (2.6%), and stage III, 1 case (2.6%). The mean size of mucinous tumors was larger than that of serous types (18.7 cm vs 10.0 cm). Twenty three (59%) cases were managed by conservative surgery (unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy) and sixteen cases (41%) by extirpative operation. Post-operative adjuvant chemotherapy was given to seven patients (17.9%). Median follow-up period was 30 months. One patient expired in case of mucinous tumor and seven cases lost during follow-up. Overall survival rate was 96.9%. CONCLUSION: Borderline ovarian tumors constitute approximately 21.0% of epithelial ovarian malignancy and occur in younger patients than those with invasive cancer. It is mostly seen serous and mucinous types and most of them are diagnosed at early stage making definite treatment possible.
Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mucins ; Ovary* ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

Schinzel-Giedion syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive condition characterized by a typical face including midface retraction, urogenital anomalies, and skeletal manifestations. So far 30 patients have been reported. This is the first report of this syndrome demonstrated in Korea. We describe a male infant with the typical findings of Schinzel-Giedion syndrome, also showing sacrococcygeal teratoma.
Humans ; Infant ; Korea ; Male ; Teratoma

Adenomyoma is a nonneoplastic lesion that can be found anywhere in the gastrointestinal tract, but it's rarely found in the extrahepatic bile duct. To the best of our knowledge, it is a completely benign lesion, but making a clear distinction from malignancy on preoperative evaluation is very difficult. Its clinical importance mainly lies in the possibility that they may be confused with carcinoma, leading to unnecessarily extensive surgical resections. We report here on a case of distal common bile duct adenomyoma that presented with right upper quadrant abdominal pain, and the preoperative examinations could not reveal whether the tumor was benign or malignant. It was finally diagnosed by histological examination after performing pylorus preserving pancreaticoduodenectomy.
Abdominal Pain ; Adenomyoma* ; Bile Ducts, Extrahepatic ; Common Bile Duct Neoplasms ; Common Bile Duct* ; Gastrointestinal Tract ; Pancreaticoduodenectomy ; Pylorus

PURPOSE: To determine the change in the limit of viability in fetal infants and the incidence of major complications in neonatal intensive care unit(NICU) at Samsung Medical Center(SMC). METHODS: Sevety-three infants weighing less than 800 g at birth and 117 infants born earlier than 27 weeks gestational age, who were admitted to NICU at SMC between November 1994 and December 2002, were enrolled. Their medical records were reviewed with a focus on the survival and major complications, including chronic lung disease, retinopathy of prematurity, intraventricular hemorrhage, and periventricular leukomalacia. The limit of viability in fetal infants was defined as the birth weight or gestational age at which a 50% survival rate is reached and the incidence of major complications were compared by period(period I : Nov. 1994-Dec. 1998, period II : Jan. 1999-Dec. 2002). RESULTS: The limit of viability in fetal infants was markedly lowered from birth weight range of 800-900 g or gestational age range of 26+0-26+6 weeks in period I to birth weight range of 600-700 g or gestational age range of 24+0-24+6 weeks in period II. The incidence rates of major complications at the limit of viability were all less than 50% in period II. There was no definite trend toward increased incidence of major complications as birth weight get smaller and gestational age get younger. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicate that at present, fetal infants whose body weight is over 600 g, or whose gestational age is over 24 weeks should be resuscitated vigorously. The risk of major complications at this birth weight or gestational age seems to be not greater than that at a bigger birth weight or an older gestational age.
Birth Weight ; Body Weight ; Gestational Age ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Incidence ; Infant* ; Infant, Newborn ; Intensive Care, Neonatal ; Leukomalacia, Periventricular ; Lung Diseases ; Medical Records ; Parturition ; Retinopathy of Prematurity ; Survival Rate

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic usefulness of PET/CT for pancreatic malignancy. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed medical records of 115 patients with pathologically diagnosed pancreatic cancer between January 2003 to August 2008 who underwent abdominal CT and PET/CT examination before histological confirmation. CT and PET/CT images were reviewed in single-blinded status and diagnostic ability on primary pancreatic lesion, regional lymph node metastasis, and distant metastasis was evaluated. RESULTS: 99 patients (86%) had malignant diseases including 91 cases of adenocarcinoma, and 16 patients (14%) benign diseases. Only CA 19-9 value and SUV were significantly different between PET/CT positive and negative groups (p=0.001, p<0.001). Sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive values (PPV) of both modality for pancreatic lesion were same (94%, 62%, and 95%, respectively), and negative predictive values (NPV) were 67% on CT and 57% on PET/CT. PET/CT correctly diagnosed 8 cases (6.9%) of falsely diagnosed pancreatic lesion on CT. Nine cases (15.7%) of misdiagnosed lymph node metastasis on CT were correctly diagnosed on PET/CT. But, there was no significant difference in the diagnosis of regional lymph node metastasis. 3 out of 29 cases of distant metastasis, except 2 cases of supraclavicular lymph node metastasis, were additionally diagnosed by PET/CT. But, overall sensitivity of distant metastasis was significantly higher in CT (83% vs 69%, p=0.045). CONCLUSIONS: Although PET/CT provided additional correct diagnoses in many cases, it showed fair diagnostic power for primary pancreatic lesion and lymph node metastasis, and lower sensitivity for distant metastasis. Therefore, PET/CT should be used as an supplementary modality of CT in diagnosing pancreatic malignancy.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; CA-19-9 Antigen/analysis ; Diagnostic Errors ; Female ; Humans ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/*diagnosis/pathology ; *Positron-Emission Tomography ; Retrospective Studies ; *Tomography, X-Ray Computed

We describe below a case of Zellweger syndrome case with facial dysmorphism, profound hypotonia, and hepatomegaly. He died at the age of 2 months. Zellweger syndrome is a disease marked by the absence of hepatic and renal peroxisomes. Because peroxisomes have many vital anabolic and catabolic functions within the cell, their absence results in profound cellular dysfunction. A biochemical study of plasma revealed elevation of very long chains of fatty acids and pipecolic acid, consistent with peroxisomal disorder. The cultured skin fibroblasts showed a marked decrease in plasmalogen synthesis enzyme : dihydroxyacetonephosphate acyl transferase(DHAP-AT) The clinical characteristics and biochemical findings led to the diagnosis of Zellweger syndrome. The pattern of inheritance is autosomal recessive, hence genetic counseling can help the families. In infantile hypotonia patients with unknown cause, peroxisomal disorder should be included in the differential diagnosis. We report the first confirmed case of Zellweger syndrome by enzyme assay in Korea.
Cell Culture Techniques ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Enzyme Assays ; Fatty Acids ; Fibroblasts ; Genetic Counseling ; Hepatomegaly ; Humans ; Infant, Newborn ; Korea* ; Muscle Hypotonia ; Peroxisomal Disorders ; Peroxisomes ; Plasma ; Skin ; Wills ; Zellweger Syndrome*

PURPOSE: Granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) has been known to increase neutrophil production and have anti-inflammatory properties, but the effect of G-CSF on pulmonary system is in controversy. We investigated whether G-CSF treatment could attenuate hyperoxia-induced lung injury, and whether this protective effect is mediated by the down-modulation of inflammatory responses in a neonatal rat model. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Newborn Sprague-Dawley rats (Orient Co., Seoul, Korea) were subjected to 14 days of hyperoxia (90% oxygen) beginning within 10 h after birth. G-CSF (20 microg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally on the fourth, fifth, and sixth postnatal days. RESULTS: This treatment significantly improved hyperoxia-induced reduction in body weight gain and lung pathology such as increased mean linear intercept, mean alveolar volume, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end labeling positive cells. Hyperoxia-induced activation of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase, which is responsible for superoxide anion production, as evidenced by upregulation and membrane translocation of p67phox was significantly attenuated after G-CSF treatment, as were inflammatory responses such as increased myeloperoxidase activity and mRNA expression of transforming growth factor-beta. However, the attenuation of other proinflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukin-6 was not significant. CONCLUSION: In sum, G-CSF treatment significantly attenuated hyperoxia-induced lung injury by down-modulating the inflammatory responses in neonatal rats.
Animals ; Animals, Newborn ; Blotting, Western ; Female ; Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor/*therapeutic use ; Hyperoxia/*complications ; In Situ Nick-End Labeling ; Interleukin-6/genetics ; Lung/*drug effects/*metabolism ; Lung Injury/*drug therapy/etiology/genetics/metabolism ; NADPH Oxidase/metabolism ; Peroxidase/metabolism ; Pregnancy ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/genetics ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/genetics ; Weight Gain/drug effects